Adhesive tape dispenser



Jan. 20, 1953 R. A. WlLKlN 2,625,

ADHESIVE TAPE DISPENSER Filed July 14. 1951 @0859; 4. (Me/u,

IN VEN TOR.

BY M 1% Patented Jan. 20, 1953 UNITED s'rn'nzs rATENT OFFICE 3 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in dispensers for tacky adhesive tape.

Explanatory of the present invention, there is now in general use a dispenser for tacky adhesive tape wherein there is a relatively heavy base that serves to rotatably support a supply roll of the tape. Adjacent the supply roll the base provides a ledge on which there is a severing edge and the end of the tape is drawn fromthe supply roll, positioned on the ledge and a portion thereof is severed by being drawn against the severing edge. The conventional tape dispenser of this type embodies no means for arresting or resisting withdrawal of the tape from the, supply roll. When these dispensers are used in stores employing sales persons the average sales person will withdraw from the supply roll an excessive length of the tape-more than is necessary to retain a package in closed position. As this type of tape is frequently relatively expensive the excessive withdrawal of the tape from the supply roll involves an unnecessary and a relatively expensive waste.

It is a primary object of the present invention to provide an accessory for a dispenser of this type wherein the tape as it is withdrawn from the supply roll has imposed thereon a series of resistances resisting the withdrawal movement. This succession of resistances serves to remind the sales person that an excessive amount of the tape need not be withdrawn and will tend to automatically cause the sales person to deposit the tape on the edge and sever a length of tape therefrom before an excessive amount is withdrawn from the supply roll.

Another object of the invention is to provide an accessory of this type that can be easily applied to the conventional tape dispenser and which has provision made for substituting rolls of diiferent sizes so that the length of tape that is withdrawn between successive resistances can be varied.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, which will be made manifest in the following detailed description and specifically pointed out in the appended claims, reference is had to the accompanying drawings for an illustrative embodiment of the invention, wherein:

Figure l is a View in side elevation of the tape dispenser embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a view in end elevation of the same;

Fig. 3 is a partial view in vertical section taken substantially on the line 3-3 upon Fig. 2, illus trating the parts in that position wherein a resistance is being imposed against the withdrawal of the tape; and

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 but illustrating the parts in an intermediate position.

Referring to the accompanying drawings wherein similar reference characters designate similar parts throughout, the dispenser illus trated consists of a relatively heavy base it having two closely adjacent sides between which a supply roll H of tacky adhesive tape is rotatably mounted. The base also provides an upstanding pedestal 12 on which there is a ledge l3 equipped with a severing edge [4.

The conventional dispenser above described is designed to have the free end id of the tape pulled from the supply roll ii causing the roll II to rotate with respect to the base. When an adequate length of tape is withdrawn from the supply roll the tape is brought down against the ledge l3 and severing edge Hi and the free end portion that extends beyond the severing edge is torn off across the severing edge. When a subsequent length of tape is desired the end i5 is lifted from the ledge l3, pulled and again disposed on the ledge and the withdrawn portion severed therefrom.

As a means for retarding the withdrawal of an unnecessary length of tape I provide a bracket in the form of a generally triangular-shaped plate it designed to be applied against the end of the pedestal l2. This bracket is adapted to be attached thereto by means of a screw ii that can be screwed into a drilled and tapped hole that is drilled and tapped into the end of the pedestal l2. The plate has a stub shaft 58 mounted thereon which rotatably receives a star wheel l9 that is retained on the stub shaft by a nut 2d. The star wheel It has its periphery largely occupied by recesses 2! which are arcuate in form having radii of curvature substantially equal to the radius of a roller 22. The roller 22 is mounted on a stub shaft 23 and is retained thereon as by a nut 24. This stub shaft is mounted on a link 25 that is pivoted at 28 on the bracket It. While the roller 22 could be urged toward the star wheel it by gravity, I prefer to employ a tension spring 27 suitably connected to the stub shaft 23 and to the bracket to urge the link and roller downwardly toward the star wheel.

The free and I5 of the tape that is withdrawn from the supply roll is passed between the roller 22 and the star wheel iii.

The operation of the above described construction is substantially as follows. As the free end i5 is pulled from the supply roll I l the star wheel i9 and the roller 22 are caused to rotate from the position shown in Fig. 3 through the position shown in Fig. 4 to a position in the succeeding recess 2| in the star wheel or, stated in another manner, back to the position. shown in Fig. 3. When the roller 22 descends into the oncoming recess 2! it substantially fits this recess so that continued rotation of the roller and star wheel is resisted due to the fact that it is necessary for the star wheel in rotating to elevate the roller 22 against the tension of the tension spring 21. In this mannerthe roller 22 and the star wheel cooperate to impose on the end 15 as it is withdrawn from the roll a series of resistances resisting its withdrawal. Preferably the spacing between consecutive recesses 21 on the star wheel I 9 is equal to the length of the tape that is actually required to seal a package at a selected point. Consequently when these resistances are imposed the natural reaction is to deposit the tape 15 on the ledge l3 and sever the free end of the tape therefrom. If, however, circumstances are such as to require two or three times the normal amount of tape it is possible to continue to pull the tape between the roller 22 and the star wheel through two or three or even more resistances exerted thereby before depositing the tape on the ledge I 3 and severing the withdrawn portion.

Conditions may be such as to require a difierent length of tape for a normal length. In this event the nuts 20 and 24 may be removed and a differently shaped star wheel may be substituted for the star wheel 19 and a different roller maybe substituted for the roller 22. The relationship between the roller 22 and the recesses 2| on the star wheel 19, however, should be maintained so that the roller 22 will substantially fit within the recesses.

From the above described construction it will be appreciated that the improvement can be designed in the form of an attachment applicable to the conventional tape dispenser and when applied the improvement serves to impose a succession of resistances on the tape as it is withdrawn without in any way interfering with the withdrawal of excessive lengths of tape if particular circumstances so require.

Various changes may be made in the details of the construction without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In combination with a tacky adhesive tape dispenser wherein there is a rotatably mounted supply roll of adhesive tape and means providing a ledge on which there is a severing edge on which. the withdrawn end of the tape is positioned for severing, a star wheel mounted for rotation between the roll and the ledge, said star wheel presenting a peripheral surface largely occupied by arcuate recesses, and a roller urged toward the star wheel to press the tape therein, said roller and recesses having substantially the same radius of curvature.

2. An accessory for tape dispensers comprising a bracket applicable to the base of the tape dispenser, said bracket having a star wheel rotatably mounted thereon and arranged in the path of withdrawal of the tape from the tape dispenser, a link pivotally mounted upon the bracket, a roller rotatably mounted on the link, a tension spring urging the link and roller into a position wherein the roller is opposed to the star wheel, the star Wheel presenting on its periphery a series of concave recesses into which the roller is urged to enter.

3. In combination with a tacky adhesive tape dispenser wherein there is a rotatably mounted supply roll of adhesive tape and means providing a ledge on which there is a severing edge on which the withdrawn end of the tape is positioned for severing, a bracket attached to said means adjacent an end of the ledge, a star wheel rotatably mounted on the bracket and arranged between the roll and the ledge, a roller rotatably mounted upon the link, a tension spring connecting the link and the bracket urging the roller against thestar wheel, said star wheel presenting an exterior surface largely occupied by concave recesses within which the roller will consecutively fit as tape drawn from the supply roll toward the ledge is drawn therebetween.

ROBERT A. WILKIN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 510,742 Walker Dec. 12, 1893 1,224,224 Shelley May 1, 1917 2,114,693 Weiss Apr. 19, 1938 2,305,392 Anderson Dec. 22, 1942 2,509,641 Hillzner May 30, 1950 2,516,143 Parsons July 25, 1950 

